Blowing oil

[Wertles]

After my oil pan was changed for rusting out, I have 600 miles of highway driving. My truck now has oil dripping from all areas from the frame. I took the truck to the dealer thinking they messed up somehow. They called and said I was blowing oil out of the breather. They wondered if I had added any oil or towed anything heavy and they could not reproduce the oil blow by. I picked the truck back up and drove 100 miles yesterday and oil was again dripping all over the driveway.

The truck has 80,000 miles, Smarty Jr. For the last 5,000 miles only. I normally run Rotella T 5-40 synthetic and change every 5000 miles. When they replaced the oil pan they filled it with Dino 15-40. Air and fuel filters are fleetguard and changed every 10k. The motor and truck have never been abused. Everything appears to be running normal and I have no codes.

Any ideas on what my next step is? I'm taking the truck back to the dealer but it sounds like they are not looking very hard.

 

[JHumphries]

My understanding with synthetic oils is once you start using them, you have to continue. Synthetic oils expand the seals a little bit. If you change back to dinosaur sqeezins, all of the seals shrink and leak.
Maybe. you could do an oil change now, back to synthetic, and the seals would expand again. I don't know for sure though.

 

[HBarlow]

It doesn't sound good. Oil blowing out of the crankcase breather is due to excessive pressure in the crankcase. That can result from excessively worn piston rings, a cracked piston, or a hole in a piston. Your case sound extreme like you've melted a hole in a piston top.

Is your engine running smoothly and performing normally other than blowing oil out? Exhaust smoke?

I know essentially nothing about magic black boxes but that is the logical cause. Have you used the SmartyJR to turn up power while towing your heavy fiver?

 

[Bob4x4]

2012 Voltage 3905 Toyhauler is that a 39' toybox?

 

[FourBarR]

what HBarlow said ,sure sounds like internal engine problems.

 

[bwall7116]

This is also what happens when an injector goes bad. The injector dumps fuel into the cylinder and the fuel gets forces around the piston and into the crank case. With the amount of miles you have and the care it sounds like you have taken, this sounds most likely to me. Drain your engine oil taking note of the quantity. Also note the viscocity and smell. Most likely the oil is very dilute with fuel. This is EXACTLY what happened to my cousins truck and after new injectors his truck runs great again.

 

[HBarlow]

After reading bwall's suggestion that it could be caused by a bad injector my first thought was surely the dealer service department was smart enough to detect fuel in oil and a bad injector when he returned the truck but I believe bwall is correct.

Wertles: "... ... . My truck now has oil dripping from all areas from the frame. I took the truck to the dealer thinking they messed up somehow. They called and said I was blowing oil out of the breather. They wondered if I had added any oil or towed anything heavy and they could not reproduce the oil blow by. I picked the truck back up and drove 100 miles yesterday and oil was again dripping all over the driveway. "

Sounds like the dealership determined oil was being forced out of the breather, apparently thought oil pan was overfilled because they asked if he had added oil. They apparently drained some oil or drained and refilled with fresh oil and could not replicate oil being forced out of the breather.

So Wertles drove 100 miles home which was sufficient driving for one bad injector to overfill the crankcase again and pump oil out and all over the underside of his truck.

If a bad injector is proven to be the cause this story sure doesn't say much about the skill level of that dealer service department.

 

[cerberusiam]

Any ideas on what my next step is? I'm taking the truck back to the dealer but it sounds like they are not looking very hard.

First question, is your oil over full after driving and you see the oil on the engine and frame?





Pull the oil fill cap off while its idling and check for discharge. If you can feel any air being pumped out or see smoke coming out you probably have a melted piston.

 

[Wertles]

Right now, oil level is staying level. Oil is all over the undercarriage but the motor seems relatively clean. I ran the truck around and pulled the oil cap off and I don't feel anything coming out, in fact, it feels like it is sucking my hand down. The truck is running smooth, starting fine and I wouldn't know that anything was wrong but the dog came from underneath the truck and looked like it fell into a tar pit. My first thought is that it was a bad injector but have none of the other signs that go along with it.
Harvey, I agree with you. Usually I have been pleasantly surprised with my dealer but this encounter has left me feeling quite the opposite. They usually take care of what I ask and them go above and beyond finding something and fixing it without cost to me.
Bob4X4- yes it is a toy hauler and so far I am in love with it. It is probably not for everyone but it works out great for my family and our use for it.

 

[HBarlow]

Wertles,

I'm not clear. You said engine oil level is currently correct. Did the dealer drain or add oil? Did you add oil?

If crankcase oil level is not low and neither you or dealer has added oil what is the source of oil on the undercarriage?

Are you saying the underside of the truck is oil covered but the area of the crankcase vent and underside of the engine is clean?

How about the automatic transmission? I assume it is not red fluid and the transmission fluid level is correct.

Can you be confident your engine oil is not diluted and doesn't have a fuel smell?

The spilled oil under the truck has to be coming from somewhere.

 

[NIsaacs]

Since the oil leak just started after the oil pan change, it must be related. The fan will blow the oil all over so it can be hard to find the actual leak. I doubt it is blow by or oil out of the breather. It almost sounds like the original oil pan may not have been rusted out and/or the original oil leak is still present.



Nick

 

[HBarlow]

I don't remember now why Wertles said he noticed the original rusted oil pan. Was it because he had an oil leak then or was it because he saw severe rust?

What else could be causing such a severe oil leak?

 

[cerberusiam]

Since the oil leak just started after the oil pan change, it must be related. The fan will blow the oil all over so it can be hard to find the actual leak. I doubt it is blow by or oil out of the breather. It almost sounds like the original oil pan may not have been rusted out and/or the original oil leak is still present.



Nick

That would be my guess, or, check the timing cover on the front of the engine, they have a habit of leaking. Oil will run down the front and coat the whole under carriage dripping off multiple places and it will look like a seal or oil pan leak.

 

[Wingate]

at this point, I would take a set of car ramps and a roll of quarters to the local car wash. Run it up on ramps, drop some coins and thoroughly wash the engine and undercarriage off. .

Check the engine oil level and verify that it is in the safe zone WITHOUT being overfull. . if in doubt, drain the oil down to the MINIMUM safe zone.

Take an oil sample and get it sent off for analysis. Take the Smarty JR. off and drive the truck to see what it does. .

A couple of things come to mind... .

Did the repairing dealer accidentally damage or not fully install the dipstick/tube assembly and the oil pan is actually overfull?

Is the oil actually leaking from the pan seal due to improper installation and being blown across the entire undercarriage by the fan/wind?

 

[AH64ID]

I have learned over the last few years that coincidences rarely happen when you work on something. . If you come out of maintenance and there is an issue its most likely related to the maintenance.

Here is a trick we use in aviation, get the pan/undercarriage all cleaned up. Then sprinkle, or throw, baby power on everything and extend the breather hose down and back, then go for a drive. Stop every few miles until you find where the leak is coming from. Chances are it's the oil pan/gasket.

I would also look around and make sure they didn't leave the old oil filter or something under there that could be leaking.

 

[Chief USA]

Have you checked or had the dealer check for vaccum leaks? Any vaccum lines the dealer may have disconnected? Bad vaccum pump? In certain failure situations it is possible for the vaccum pump check valve being stuck to cause a large oil leak among some other causes.



I am assuming oil pan bolt torque has been checked.



Another remote possibilty could seals in the turbo charger. If they are leaking boost pressure into the oil system.



Just a couple of shots in the dark before getting serious about the engine.

 

[RonD]

My guess the Dealer installed the pan wrong, if it didnt leak before, and it does now, take it back, they did something wrong, seal, gasket. Wash the bottom off, and run it to see where its leaking.

 

[AH64ID]

Have you checked or had the dealer check for vaccum leaks? Any vaccum lines the dealer may have disconnected? Bad vaccum pump? In certain failure situations it is possible for the vaccum pump check valve being stuck to cause a large oil leak among some other causes.



I am assuming oil pan bolt torque has been checked.



Another remote possibilty could seals in the turbo charger. If they are leaking boost pressure into the oil system.



Just a couple of shots in the dark before getting serious about the engine.

Unless he has an OEM exhaust brake the 06's don't have vac pumps, but the turbo comment got me thinking. . I wonder if the turbo drain got knocked loose in the pan change?

 

[rscurtis]

If the engine is running OK, odds are it's not a blow-by problem. I would also vote for improper pan installation. Find someone with a smoke generator and you'll find the leak in a couple of minutes. The good news is, if you leave it the way it is, you won't have to worry about this pan rusting out.

 

[cerberusiam]

I wonder if the turbo drain got knocked loose in the pan change?

Thats a possibility. The source of the oil from that or the vent tube should be obvious though.



A thourough cleaning and test drive should be able to pin point the source.